Seoul, South Korea – Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) has announced stricter regulations for the upcoming 2025 Lunar New Year train ticket reservations to ensure fair access for all passengers and reduce no-shows.

The reservation period for train tickets covering January 24 to February 2 will begin on January 6 and end on January 9.

Priority for Vulnerable Groups

To accommodate the needs of vulnerable groups, Korail will allocate the first two days of the reservation period (January 6 and 7) exclusively for seniors aged 65 and over, people with disabilities, and national veterans. General reservations will open on January 8 and 9.

Online and Phone Reservations

All reservations must be made online or by phone. While online reservations are convenient, users must be registered members of the Korail website. To assist those unfamiliar with online procedures, Korail will provide phone reservation services.

New Regulations

To address the issue of no-shows and ticket scalping, Korail has implemented several new measures:

Increased cancellation fees: Korail will impose stricter penalties for canceled reservations, discouraging passengers from booking multiple tickets and not using them.
Enhanced anti-scalping measures: The railway corporation will strengthen its efforts to prevent the use of automated bots to purchase tickets and resell them at inflated prices.
Cooperation with online platforms: Korail will collaborate with major online marketplaces to monitor and remove listings for illegally resold train tickets.

Convenience Features 

To improve the reservation process, Korail has introduced a dedicated reservation website that will be available starting January 3. This platform allows users to familiarize themselves with the reservation system ahead of time.

Korail President Han Moon-hee emphasized the importance of these measures in ensuring fair access to train tickets for all passengers. "We are committed to providing a smooth and efficient reservation process while preventing unfair practices," said Han. "By strengthening our regulations, we aim to make sure that those who truly need these tickets are able to secure them."